Explosive devices used in military combat may be initiated by detonation devices. Explosive materials contained in an explosive device may be ignited in several different ways. Explosive materials have been ignited by flame ignition (e.g., fuzes or ignition of a priming explosive), impact (which often ignites a priming explosive), chemical interaction (e.g., contact with a reactive or activating fluid), or electrical ignition. Electrical ignition may occur in two distinct ways, as by ignition of a priming material (e.g., electrically ignited blasting cap or priming material) or by direct energizing of an explosive mass by electrical power. These various ignition systems enable explosive devices such as explosive projectiles to detonate at a desired time. Depending on the application, this desired time may be before impact, at a specific point during flight, during impact, or at some time delay after impact.
Generally, a fuze assembly for igniting the explosive materials contained in an explosive device activates the explosive projectile for detonation in the vicinity of the target. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an explosive device configured, for example, as a warhead 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the warhead 100 may include a housing 102 having an explosive material 104 disposed therein. The forward section of the warhead 100 may include a proximity sensor 106 configured to activate a fuze assembly 108 through wiring 109 disposed within the housing 102 of the warhead 100. In operation, the proximity sensor 106 may trigger the fuze assembly 108. Ignition of the fuze assembly 108 will generate a shock wave that propagates through the entirety of the explosive material 104 detonating the warhead 100. While detonation of the entire explosive material 104 contained in the warhead 100 may be desirable in some applications, detonation of the entire explosive material 104 may be undesirable in other applications. For example, detonation of the entire explosive material 104 may be undesirable where a smaller detonation is desirable due to factors such as target size, minimization of collateral damage, and other factors.